2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500: stuck in gear or won't shift

Filed Jul 28, 2025 · Transmission · UT

The transmission has been shifting hard. I have had it serviced to try and address the issue. It continued to shift hard, until suddenly slamming me down and locking me into first gear. It would not shift from first gear until I found a parking lot, placed it in park, shut the truck off and restarted it. This caused me to nearly rear end the vehicle in front of me. This has not been reproduced to date because the shop cannot get to my truck for 4 weeks and I cannot be without a vehicle for that long (won’t schedule and let me bring in the day before). There has not been an inspection done by anyone because I was able to avoid the collision, and the shop is too far out time wise. There were no prior indications/lights to warn me of a severe problem. The dealership informed me that this has been an ongoing problem with the valve body inside the transmission, but there is no warranty or recall for it. They were sure happy to take my money without telling me of the problems when I bought my truck.

Filed Jun 27, 2025 · Transmission · NC

Vehicle went into limp mode on I 65 in Indiana. Chevy dealer replaced tvb/ thermal bypass valve with newer version that opens at a lower temperature.Hard to get vehicle to the side of the highway. State Police arranged a tow truck to remove vehicle from highway.

Filed Jun 21, 2025 · Transmission · IA

The automatic transmission in my 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with the 4.3L V6 has experienced repeated failures and overheating events starting shortly after a scheduled dealer transmission flush at approximately 50,000 miles. Since then, the transmission has slipped under load, failed to shift properly, and routinely overheated—reaching over 270°F—without triggering a dashboard warning or entering limp mode. Multiple dealer visits confirmed internal transmission damage, including discolored fluid, metal shavings, and torque converter clutch failure. The entire transmission and torque converter were replaced under warranty, along with a redesigned bypass valve. Despite these efforts, the transmission failed again, showing further signs of overheating and debris in the fluid. The vehicle has been inspected and serviced multiple times by the dealership (Karl Chevrolet in Iowa) and GM warranty contractors. The issue persists even after complete transmission replacement. This condition poses a safety risk as loss of power and unexpected gear disengagement occurred during normal road use, including highway driving and towing. Transmission temperatures spiking well beyond GM’s Dexron VI fluid thermal limits raise further concerns about systemic cooling design flaws. Warning signs included high transmission fluid temperatures (over 270°F), RPM surging, harsh downshifts, slipping, poor throttle response, and delayed engagement from park to drive. The manufacturer has been notified, and the issue has been documented with the Attorney General of Iowa. A GM case number was also opened, but no permanent fix has been offered.

Filed May 16, 2025 · Brakes, Transmission · PA

Sometimes when traveling higher speeds (55-70)and braking going downhill, a hard brake will come out of nowhere. Not enough lock up the brakes or anything but enough to scare the crap out of you!!! If it would happen to a elderly person or a less experienced driver, they could probably lose control or wrack. With the power train...sometimes when accelerating(from a stop or low speed)it seems as though it gets stuck in gear or skips a gear. You won't have any power then bam... almost cerps the back tires

Filed Apr 17, 2025 · Electrical, Engine · 170,000 miles · MA

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and was slow to respond as needed. The contact stated that there was smoke coming from the exhaust. While driving, the rear end locked up. The contact stated that the vehicle was slipping, and the vehicle shut off while driving. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact replaced the spark plugs, coil pack, and spark plug wires with a misfire in cylinder #6. The contact stated that the fluids were replaced at an unknown local dealer prior to the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

Filed Apr 14, 2025 · Transmission · 141,000 miles · NJ

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the transmission became stuck in second gear. The contact pulled over the right side of the road and turned off the vehicle for two minutes. The vehicle was then restarted and there was an abnormal banging sound coming from the gear shifter. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The Insurance Company had not yet been contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 141,000.

Filed May 22, 2023 · Transmission · 100,000 miles · TN

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered. Additionally, the contact stated that the transmission was stuck in first gear. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Filed Jan 12, 2021 · Electrical, Steering · 32,000 miles · TX

Truck stationary. Started engine. Immediately message showed up on dashboard indicating steering assist low, drive carefully. No power steering. Traction control warning lit. Shifted into reverse; truck would not move as if in neutral. Truck move move forward in drive but would not shift out of low gear. Also traction control symboil turned on. Took it to peters chevrolet longview, tx. Dealership found no issues.

Filed Jun 3, 2019 · Driver assistance, Electrical · 8,300 miles · SC

This has happened twice. The vehicle will not shift into gear, the power steering doesn't work, and other electronic options do not work. This has only happened when the vehicle is stationary. The first time it was parked and started, the weather was around 50f and clear. The second time was after getting gas while parked, the weather was clear and around 82f. After the vehicle sits for 10-15 minutes (off after the first start) you can restart the vehicle and it will go into gear but in a limp mode state. The power steering light will work but the vehicle does not shift correctly and the radio does not work correctly. These incidents happened approximately 5 months apart.